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From the 'Moreland Community News'
Fresh start for Tiges, by Lance Jenkinson
COBURG Tiges coach David Flood refused to dwell on two
hefty losses to start the 2005 Victorian Football League
season.
Rather, he placed all his energies over the 'bye' weekend
into preparing for their crucial Anzac Day clash with
Box Hill Hawks at Box Hill City Oval.
"It's come at a good time," Flood said of the bye.
"We've got to regenerate, go back to square one and basically
after the bye start the season again.
"We've come up against two good sides that had a fir bit more
experience than us and they've been a bit bigger and a bit
stronger."
The Tigers were hammered by the Bendiogo Bombers to the tune
of 53 points in round one, and produced an insipid display
to lose by 86 points to the Scorpions in their first home
game.
Brent Guerra, Xavier Clarke and Mark McGough ran rampant
in the midfield for the Scorpions and beat-up a youthfull,
short-on-brawn Tigers middle.
"We've got kids in there, "Flood said. "We've had a lot of
young players that are just still finding their feet, that
have been playing in unfamiliar positions for their own
development.
"I'm not going to lose sleep at the moment - it's something
we've got to have a look at and reassess and yeah the bye
has come at the right time for us."
Flood announced preseason that the Coburg list had better
depth but had lost significant experience when Ryan Pagan,
Drean talbot and Marc Dragicevic moved on.
It shows, too, as the reserves have won both their opening
games while the seniors have floundered with a lack of
experienced players.
Former captain Leigh Carlson will bolster the midfield in
his first game and key key depfender Travis Jorgensen
returns from injury.
The Houlihan brothers, Adam and Josh, recovered quickly from
minor injuries suffered against the Scorpions and will
play.
Flood cannot wait to see how his players respond against
Box Hill with their backs to the wall.
"It should be a good challenge for us and one I'm looking
forward to," he said.
"We can certainly turn it around."
